The Downside of Self-publishing...and a new release update.

Hi, all. By now you all are used to my few-and-far-between blog updates, right?? :o)

 

So, that title. First, let me just state for the record that I absolutely love that I chose to self-publish. It was, without a doubt, one of the best decisions of my life. But that being said, there is a downside to self-publishing…no absolute deadlines. I choose what I work on and when I work on it.

 

Up until now, I have enforced my planned release dates (for the most part), but that was putting a lot of pressure on everyone who works on my team…graphic designer, editors, beta readers, formatter, proofreader, and ME. So, at the urging of one of my editors, I relaxed those deadlines…a LOT.

 

Right now, we are seeing the result of that relaxation…yeah, probably not the best choice for ME. I have nothing ready to release. I need deadlines. Because without them, I don’t work on the things I don’t want to work on…i.e. the two books that are done and in the polishing stage. They just flat-out need some hard work from ME and I’d rather not. (It’s much more fun to write all new words than fix the words I’ve already written.)

 

So, for those of you that have been emailing and messaging me…thank you. This post is for you. This is going to be a FULL update (read that to mean…this blog post will be a short novella itself because I am working…and juggling a LOT of different projects right now and will tell you where they all stand in the publishing process.)

 

1. THROUGH the VEIL

 

This book…I love this book, but I also hate this book. LOL. This book was my second big writing project (at least out of the ones that will actually be published…lol.) I adore the story and this book sets the stage for 7 other books. So it’s important that I get it right.

 

When I wrote it, my writing ability SUCKED and I wrote the first 35,000 words in 7 days. Yeah, it sucked big-time and it took a LONG time to fix it. Easily, I have read and revised this book 75-100 times over the last two years. I don’t care how much you love a book, that’s too much. So yeah, the thought of opening up this file gives me hives now.

 

But it is good. Both my editors have read it and told me so. My beta readers have read it and gushed overwhelmingly about how much they loved it. It’s even been through the first round of edits (almost…I still have about 40 of those pages left to do.)

 

So what’s the hold-up? After my editor finished the first round of edits on it, she sent me suggestions of little things to make it stronger…three pages worth. Yeah, watch me curl into a little ball and sob on the ground.

 

And I agree with most of her suggestions. The book will be stronger after I make them, but I don’t wanna work on this book any longer.

 

That’s on me.

 

I’m sorry. You should have had this book by now. I want you to have this book. Seriously, this story…I adore it. But right now I just have to find the strength to suck it up and dive deeply into it again and do ANOTHER ROUND of revisions.

 

Soon, I promise. As it stands now, I’m hoping this book will be released by the end of August, but the first of September is probably more realistic.

 

 

2. MUDFLAP UNDERCOVER

Another book where I’m burying my head in the sand and ignoring the file sitting there staring at me. The book is written. It’s so bad right now, I can’t even get through a complete read-through on it.

 

So, yeah, this one is gonna be seriously delayed. I think the book is set-up right…the correct events happen in it. The suspense story line is good, but the entire book feels shallow to read it. It needs a lot more depth between Mudflap and Shanae added to the story.

 

In my defense, this is the first time I’ve written a second book featuring a couple who are already somewhat settled and in love. My hat’s off to authors who write stories about couples over and over. It’s really hard to keep that level of intrigue with love with an established couple. But I have faith that I’ll be able to fix it. I’m just not willing to release it as it is. You all deserve better. Just give me time on that one.

 

 

3. What I’m writing right now…

 

July is a CampNaNoWriMo month….50,000 words in 31 days.

 

This I’m excited about. I am writing on two different books right now simultaneously. I know. Who does that? Right now, I do and I am so excited about both of these books. Neither were in my writing schedule. They just came up, so again, this will slightly alter my schedule some.

 

SECRET PROJECT

 

The first is something completely new for my writing…an erotica BDSM cowboy story. I love my story. It’s chock-full of angst and emotion and a seriously wounded heroine who’s a dominatrix. Yeah, I’m having a ton of fun with this one. There will definitely be more information to come on it. Right now it has 20,000 words written on it. I foresee another 20-30k to go.

 

 

PHOTO OP SERENDIPITY

 

This story is pure inspiration. I follow a gorgeous model, Storm Bailey, on Facebook. He posted a couple of pictures from his photo shoot with Shana Kruse from Kruse Images & Photography. This story came entirely from those photos with Meghan Johnson.

 

It is another romantic suspense story with some twists in it that I’m so excited about. It’s still early days in the writing of it. I have 7000 written right now, but the story is flying out of my brain so I don’t think it will take too long to write it once I settle into it. I’m pretty sure this will be a full-length novel, but we’ll see.

 

My cover designer, the talented Amanda Matthews, has the photos I bought from the photo shoot and is working on the cover right now. So, maybe fairly soon, I will have a blurb and cover reveal to share with you.

 

 

4. Books still to come…

 

RIGHT BY YOUR SIDE

The first Martin Ranch book. This is supposed to be my next scheduled write. It is started…a couple thousand words and this one starts with a huge burst of adrenaline. I am super-excited about this story. I just have to get all my ducks in a row before I truly start to sit down and work on it. The original release date was supposed to be this fall. It might still make that, but probably not. I would say at this point, that this one will be pushed back to a 2015 release date.

 

SNOWCROFT SAFEHOUSE

Did you catch what I just did there? That’s the first time I’ve told anyone the title of book #2 of the Men of Snowcroft series. My cover designer, the talented Amanda Matthews, sent me the cover of this one Friday. I literally squealed when I opened the file. It’s so PERFECT for this amazing story. I can’t wait to write this one.

 

Right now it’s slated for a Jan, 2015 release. I’m hoping to stick with that, because I’m really desperate to write this story…it’s another one that I just LOVE! But because that release is still a ways away, I think I’m gonna sit on the cover and blurb for now. :o) Come on, you can be patient. It’s worth the wait, I promise.

 

 

So, that’s where I’m at with all my current WIP’s. The upcoming tentative release schedule is as follows:

1. Through the Veil                     Sept, 2014


2. Mudflap Undercover                Fall, 2014


3. Secret Sexy Cowboy Project        Fall, 2014 (tentative)


4. Photo Op Serendipity                Nov, 2014


5. Snowcroft Safehouse                 Jan, 2015


6. Right By Your Side                  Winter, 2015

 

And this blog post hit 1400 words. Can I count that as my writing for today?? Hehe, no, I didn’t think so.